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General Tabletop Discussion
*TTRPGs General
Should time spent on system mechanics be based in interest or importance/risk?
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<blockquote data-quote="Blue" data-source="post: 7328110" data-attributes="member: 20564"><p>Let me give the same scene, with different levels of mechanical involvement.</p><p></p><p>Characters spend an evening at a masquerade ball, trying to make a contact with hidden rebels against the crown. Players declare what their characters are doing trying to work out who it is: dropping into conversations a codeword they had previous overheard, looking for people who are only pretending to support the king, trying to follow the money on elvish bows the reels had, gossiping in the line dances with many partners and taking up the guard captain to see if slips up and tells any of his suspicions or things he's found about them.</p><p></p><p>Example low system interaction: DM has them each make an appropriate skill roll at the end, possibly with different targets. Results are then determined based on that.</p><p></p><p>Example middle system interaction: Initial rolls are made to discover some opportunities but also failures are advancing tracks (or clocks) to either bring suspicious down on themselves from the king's men, and also advance the possibility that they will scare off the rebels (either by making it too hot or seeming like they might be king's men themselves). Multiple passes occur until enough successes allow contact to be made (only if the "scare off" track isn't full), the PCs are discovered by king's men, or time runs out (end of the ball). Players adjust actions after a pass based on how they feel it is going (not useful, bring too much heat, etc.)</p><p></p><p>Example high system interaction: a social combat system is used, allowing gains/losses of reputation and webs of trust. Like tactics in a D&D combat, things like unveiling hidden secrets, inspiring speeches, bribes, and other limited use resources are common.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Blue, post: 7328110, member: 20564"] Let me give the same scene, with different levels of mechanical involvement. Characters spend an evening at a masquerade ball, trying to make a contact with hidden rebels against the crown. Players declare what their characters are doing trying to work out who it is: dropping into conversations a codeword they had previous overheard, looking for people who are only pretending to support the king, trying to follow the money on elvish bows the reels had, gossiping in the line dances with many partners and taking up the guard captain to see if slips up and tells any of his suspicions or things he's found about them. Example low system interaction: DM has them each make an appropriate skill roll at the end, possibly with different targets. Results are then determined based on that. Example middle system interaction: Initial rolls are made to discover some opportunities but also failures are advancing tracks (or clocks) to either bring suspicious down on themselves from the king's men, and also advance the possibility that they will scare off the rebels (either by making it too hot or seeming like they might be king's men themselves). Multiple passes occur until enough successes allow contact to be made (only if the "scare off" track isn't full), the PCs are discovered by king's men, or time runs out (end of the ball). Players adjust actions after a pass based on how they feel it is going (not useful, bring too much heat, etc.) Example high system interaction: a social combat system is used, allowing gains/losses of reputation and webs of trust. Like tactics in a D&D combat, things like unveiling hidden secrets, inspiring speeches, bribes, and other limited use resources are common. [/QUOTE]
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Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*TTRPGs General
Should time spent on system mechanics be based in interest or importance/risk?
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